The basic functionality of a typical mobile phone has gone through dramatic changes from being solely voice oriented to being capable to support complex features and rich data intensive applications. It is expected that this trend of increased complexity and capability of mobile devices will continue and drive significant increases in product and service innovation. In many respects, mobile device management is quite similar to a classic enterprise management. It includes provisioning, which is the ability to setup a new device or service for a mobile subscriber, firmware and software lifecycle management, which includes the delivery, configuration and retirement of new or updated programs and data, remote diagnostics of phone features, software and network connectivity, asset management, reporting and other features. To ensure ease of use, a combination of intelligent management, proactive monitoring and diagnostics is a necessity for wireless/mobile operators.
Present system, network, and enterprise management solutions are typically based on a protocol which defines two key items, a PDU (protocol data unit), which describes the content that is passed between a managed object and its manager, and a data model that uniquely describes the location and structure of managed objects. For mobile devices, the preeminent standard is OMA DM (the Open Mobile Alliance's Device Management) standard. A carrier typically one more instances of an MDM platform to manage associated mobile devices. The OMA DM protocol leverages the popular browser-client web-server interaction model and HTTP transport. Interactions between the management platform and device may be initiated by either the server (management platform) or the client (mobile device). A client initiated interaction follows the familiar paradigm of a web browser initiating a session with a web server. When the server wishes to initiate an interaction, it must start by notifying the client so that the client can once again initiate a browser-like session with the server. This server-to-client notification is carried via an SMS (short message service) communications channel text message that is specially recognized by the mobile device and routed to the OMA DM client software so that it may establish a session with the server. Once the SMS-based notification is received, a client-to-server session is established and proceeds in the same manner as for a client initiated interaction.
In general, a mobile device management platform is a complex software product that provides device management firmware update, device configuration and remote diagnostics management. The platform keeps track of all managed devices, provides a device modeling framework, contains specific metadata that describe firmware packages, applications, diagnostic policies and other artifacts to facilitate comprehensive mobile device management. As mobile device technology advances, there is a constant drive to provide and improve basic mobile device management functions, such as diagnostics, remote configuration and provisioning, security, backup/restore, network usage and support, device provisioning, policy applications, logging and monitoring, and remote control and administration, and any other similar functions. Such functions are typically delivered as configuration modules through FOTA (firmware over the air) updates. Presently these functions are implemented using traditional programming languages, such as Java, C, C++, and so on. This approach has multiple limitations primarily related to specific customer and equipment constraints and requirements. Some of the requirements are not known in advance because they are specific to new equipment, revised management policies based on local operational environment, and other similar reasons. In order to satisfy new monitoring and management requirements, there is a need for a mobile device management provider to create custom patches. In many cases, these are essentially equivalent to deeply customized project versions. This can have a significant negative impact in terms of time, resources, and maintenance efforts. Moreover, the user typically has minimal ability to significantly change management policies without upgrading the core software within the mobile device.
While the goals of various carriers regarding mobile device management are similar, their specific needs can be quite varied. Needs can vary based on local law or custom, the surrounding systems that must be integrated and the desire for distinct service offerings. A few of the major challenges for MDM platform providers and their customers are described. First, a carrier shall be able to change a management task to include an interaction with a subscriber and MDM, based on equipment capabilities, legal, security and other factors. Carrier requirements may evolve over time and create a need to refine/change management policies over time. Second, because mobile device management is not an isolated service, it must be integrated with other carrier services such as billing, accounting, troubleticketing, asset management. However integration requirements are often very specific. Third, a carrier is always looking to extend existing applications to include new features like software management, auto-provisioning, asset management or other new applications. Fourth, carrier requirements may evolve over time. Customized features typically become available as a part of a new release or patch from third party. This has multiple drawbacks, in that the carrier does not do it itself, the release cycle can be lengthy, resource consuming and therefore expensive, and release multiplication can lead to maintenance problems, especially when new common patches should be applied over all previously customized releases. Fifth, in many cases management application development does not start from a scratch. Ideally a management application developed by MDM provider should be open for a carrier inspection and customization without a need to involve an original software vendor. Existing management algorithms could be used as macro building blocks to compose new services. Sixth, MDM providers strive to bring reliability and stability to a management platform. There are multiple reasons in pursuing these goals, however, an extensive customization, based on “tail to fit” is a main drawback for a stable and reliable platform. Finally, migration is a key procedure that eases process of bringing data and intelligence from previous product releases to a latest one.
What is needed, therefore, is the ability to program complex business and management policies using simple user interface (UI) forms or natural languages in a work-flow based model that is efficient and that provides the benefits of externalization, flexibility, and simplicity.